Comprehensive automatic directory assistance apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

A comprehensive automatic directory assistance apparatus includes a means for receiving information from a caller via a specified number of DTMF signals, means for identifying another subscriber from the signals, means for vocally conveying information relating to the other subscriber to the caller and means, selectable by said caller, for connecting the caller with the other subscriber.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for automatically providing comprehensive assistance to a calling subscriber of a communication system having a plurality of subscribers interconnected thereto; said apparatus comprising: means for establishing a communication link with said calling subscriber, said establishing means being responsive to a conventional system call made by said subscriber;   means for accepting, via said communication link, a prespecified number of tonal inputs from said calling subscriber, said prespecified number being generally less than the length of a name of interest, each said tonal input being representative of a letter corresponding to one letter of said name of interest to said calling subscriber, said accepting means also having default means associated therewith for automatically transferring said calling subscriber to an operator upon failure of said accepting means to receive said tonal inputs;   means for digitizing said tonal inputs;   a storage medium having a plurality of indices stored therein, each one of said plurality of indices being a digitized representation of said prespecified number of letters of the name of each said plurality of subscribers and having a unique identifier associated therewith, each identifier being representative of a different one of said plurality of subscribers whereby said unique identifiers associated with any one particular index can be accessed;   a scannable data file, said data file having a plurality of items stored therein, each of said plurality of items having an identifier portion and a speech digitized portion, said speech digitized portion including information for said calling subscriber;   a temporary storage medium;   a program controller for controlling said tonal input digitizing means for converting said tone inputs from said calling subscriber to a digitized index, searching said storage medium for all said identifiers associated with said index, retrieving from said data file each so identified item and storing said identified items in said temporary storage medium; and   means, responsive to said controller, for providing said subscriber with a vocal rendition of each one of said identified items stored in said temporary storage medium.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for establishing a communication link includes a telephone interface having bidirectional communication with said communication system and said program controller whereby a ring signal is provided to said program controller and, in response thereto, said program controller provides a command to said telephone interface to establish said communication link via an ON/OFF hook line. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said scannable data file includes a hard disk storage medium. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said storage medium and said temporary storage medium are random-access-memories. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scannable data file includes a hard disk storage medium. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scannable data file includes a hard disk storage medium and said temporary storage medium is a random-access-memory. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a response memory having stored therein a plurality of predictable reponses, said predictable responses being stored in digitized form compatable with said vocal rendition providing means.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said storage medium, said temporary storage medium, and said response memory are random-access-memories. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising; means for establishing a connecting communication link between said calling subscriber and another one of said plurality of subscribers.   
     
     
       10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said connecting communication link establishing means includes a tone generator for transforming digital signals from said program controller to DTMF signals.   
     
     
       11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said connecting communication link establishing means further includes means for conveying said DTMF signals from said tone generator to said communication system. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: means for monitoring said communication system for activity by subscribers thereto.   
     
     
       13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising; means for entering an item onto said scannable data file, said entering means having the same audio bandwidth characteristics as said communication system.   
     
     
       14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising; means for establishing communication links with a plurality of calling subscribers while servicing said calling subscriber.   
     
     
       15. A method for providing comprehensive directory assistance to a calling subscriber of a communication system having a plurality of subscribers interconnected thereto; said method comprising the steps of: establishing, in response to a conventional system call, a communication link with said calling subscriber;   accepting, after establishing said communication link, only a prespecified number of DTMF inputs from said calling subscriber said prespecified number being generally less than the length of a name of interest and each DTMF input being representative of a letter corresponding to one letter of said name of interest or in the absence of said DTMF inputs connecting said calling subscriber to an operator;   converting said accepted inputs to an index and comparing said index with a plurality of indices each having a unique identifier associated therewith;   scanning a data file having a plurality of items stored thereon each of said plurality of items having a unique identifier associated therewith, each of said plurality of items also having a digitized speech portion;   extracting each matched item from said data file and storing said matched items in a temporary storage medium;   providing said calling subscriber with a synthetic voice rendition of each one of said matched items stored in said temporary storage medium.   
     
     
       16. Method as claimed in claim 15 further comprising the step of: determining if any data file identifier has an index matching said converted inputs.   
     
     
       17. Method as claimed in claim 15 further comprising the step of: counting the number of matched items; and   selecting, from a response memory, an appropriate digitized speech response to said calling subscriber.   
     
     
       18. Method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising the step of: providing, after said selecting step, said calling subscriber with the choice of either rehearing said voice rendition, having the call completed or requesting information about one of said plurality of subscribers.